News from the Oklahoma National Guard

Thunderbird Trail: Preserving Sacrifice, Strengthening Connection
September 26, 2025 — Standing among rows of white marble headstones at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, Soldiers of the Oklahoma National Guard bent to place sand from the beaches of Anzio into the carved names of Thunderbirds who never returned home. For today’s Citizen-Soldiers, the gesture was a bridge across generations, connecting their service to the sacrifice of those who fought for freedom more than 80 years ago... MORE

Oklahoma National Guard members and veterans and Italian representatives break ground at a future memorial site to honor the 45th Infantry Division in Paestum, Italy, Sept. 9, 2025. A delegation of Oklahoma National Guard members and veterans toured key locations from the 45th Infantry Division’s campaign in Italy against German forces during World War II, continuing the development of the Thunderbird Trail. The initiative is aimed at preserving the Division's role in World War II through a memorial trail tracing its footsteps through Italy, France and Germany, ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Danielle Rayon)

Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0 Tests Oklahoma Guard's Unmanned Aerial System Capabilities
September 15, 2025 — CAMP GRUBER TRAINING CENTER, Okla. - Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade Soldiers put their tactics, techniques and procedures to the test Sept. 13 during Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0, the capstone event in a succession of counter-unmanned aircraft exercises held this year at Camp Gruber Training Center.The exercise tested concepts... MORE

Unmanned aircraft systems fly overhead during Exercise Thunderstruck 2.0 at Camp Gruber Training Center near Braggs, Oklahoma, on September 13, 2025.

137th SOW operates alongside 35th FW at Misawa Air Base
September 6, 2025 — Components of the 137th Special Operations Wing, Oklahoma Air National Guard, integrated with the 35th Fighter Wing to complete annual training at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Aug. 12-18, 2025... MORE

Two uniformed men with decorated patches on their sleeves point at a map.

Oklahoma National Guard strengthen ties through Saudi Arabia partnership
August 26, 2025 — The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia formally joined the Department of Defense National Guard State Partnership Program, establishing a new partnership with the Oklahoma National Guard and expanding its strategic ties with the United States during a ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 21, 2025... MORE

Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau, joins Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, chief of general staff, Saudi Arabian Armed Forces; Army Maj. Gen. Thomas Mancino, Oklahoma’s adjutant general; Army Brig. Gen. Lawrence Muennich, Indiana’s adjutant general, and senior enlisted leaders for a ceremony to formalize the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s entry into the 115-nation Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 21, 2025. Under the SPP, Indiana and Oklahoma National Guardsmen will train with Saudi Arabian Armed Forces counterparts to build collective readiness to enhance regional stability and advance global security. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Zach Sheely)

Wildfire response during training proves OKGuard ready to fight fires
August 21, 2025 — Twelve Oklahoma National Guardsmen training in Arizona proved the OKNG’s wildland firefighting program is ready to respond to wildfires when they were called to battle a real-world fire caused by lightning at Camp Navajo, near Flagstaff on Aug. 15... MORE

Members of the Oklahoma National Guard’s wildland firefighting program work to prevent the spread of a fire at Camp Navajo, Arizona, August 16, 2025. The Guardsmen were training at Camp Navajo when a real-world fire broke out and they began supporting the Camp Navajo Fire Department and other agencies in containing the fire. (Photo provided by Brian Weatherford)

OKGuard, RSU agreement builds future leaders
August 6, 2025 — The past and future of military leadership converged at Rogers State University as Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino, adjutant general for Oklahoma, and Dr. Don Raleigh, RSU president, signed a memorandum of agreement formalizing the Guard Officer Leadership Development program on campus... MORE

Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino (left), adjutant general for Oklahoma, and Dr. Don Raleigh (right), president of Rogers State University, sign a memorandum of agreement for the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s Guard Officer Leadership Development program at RSU, one of the four programs throughout the state. The GOLD program is designed to develop and prepare individuals for commissioned officer roles in the OKARNG, equipping them with the skills needed to lead Soldiers effectively.

From 1917 to 1971, RSU was known as the Oklahoma Military Academy which has a storied history within Oklahoma as a premiere military academy. The OMA Alumni association is still heavily involved with the university and GOLD program and has scholarship opportunities available to candidates. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Richard Beam)

Oklahoma National Guard Oklahoma National Guardsmen take part in a historic exercise
August 6, 2025 — Oklahoma National Guardsmen took part in a historic exercise as they showcased the precision firepower of the U.S. Army High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) for the first time on Malaysian soil, July 17-29, 2025. Oklahoma Guardsmen from 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery Regiment, 45th Field Artillery Brigade, participated in the 25th iteration of Exercise Keris Strike, a trilateral exercise focused on bringing together military forces from the United States, Malaysia, and Australia... MORE

A High Mobility Artillery Rocket System operated by members of the Oklahoma Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 158th Field Artillery Regiment fires a rocket during Exercise Keris Strike, on July 30, 2025. (Photo provided by US Embassy Kuala Lumpur)

Cyber officers join OKNG through direct commissioning program
July 31, 2025 — Capt. Derek Teague and Capt. George Bouziden earned their commissions as Cyber Corps officers through a U.S. Army Talent Innovation Division program designed to identify and bring in highly skilled civilian information technology professionals to strengthen the Army’s cyber capabilities... MORE

(left to right) Capt. George Bouziden and Capt. Derek Teague take the Oath of Commissioned Officers during their direct commissioning ceremony at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Norman, Oklahoma, July 30, 2025. The two officers received their commission through a U.S. Army Talent Innovation Division program designed to identify and bring in highly skilled civilian information technology professionals to strengthen the Army’s cyber capabilities. (Oklahoma National Guard photo by Anthony Jones)

137th SOW Airmen and families join together for a Yellow Ribbon event
July 2, 2025 — Families and Airmen assigned to the 137th Special Operations Wing gathered for a Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program event in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 14, 2025, for support in transitioning into civilian life after deployment. The event was designed to equip post-deployment Airmen and families with the resources, connections and knowledge necessary to navigate reintegrating back into civilian life successfully. These programs aim to assist service members and their dependents that face the challenges of deployment by providing a network of support... MORE

An attendee touches a 988 helpline card.

Oklahoma Army National Guard couple train to improve cyber capabilities together
June 25, 2025 — Red, white, and blue. These colors together symbolize the flag of the United States, but in the largest and longest running cyber exercise, they represent the teams of Cyber Shield 2025 working together to test the nation’s cyber defenses from May 30, 2025 to June 13, 2025. Among the 900 participants is a young couple from the Oklahoma Army National Guard, both working in the cyber field and this time, on separate teams... MORE

Staff Sgt. Diana Hutcherson, an information technology specialist with the Oklahoma Defensive Cyber Operations Element pose for a photo with her husband Spc. William Hutcherson, an electromagnetic warfare specialist, with the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team during exercise Cyber Shield 2025 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, June 2, 2025. Diana and William enlisted in the Oklahoma Army National Guard at different times, but they have both chosen careers aligning with information technology and cyber warfare. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jasmine McCarthy)

Video by Sgt. Reece Heck

Oklahoma Guardsmen compete to be best warrior

Oklahoma National Guard

April 23, 2023 | 2:29

Twelve of the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s best Citizen-Soldiers gathered to battle it out for the title of Best Warrior at Camp Gruber Training Center, Oklahoma, April 20-23.

At the end of the competition, Sgt. Evan Bias, a cavalry scout from Tuttle, Oklahoma, took home the title of Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, and Spc. Carson Downum, a horizontal construction engineer from Claremore, Oklahoma, earned the title of Soldier of the Year.

“It’s truly an honor,” Downum said. “It’s a big deal to everybody wearing the uniform so I’m really proud and it’ll be really cool to represent and try to fight off against the other states [at regionals].”

The annual competition brings together junior enlisted Soldiers and noncommissioned officers from units across the state to test their proficiency in a variety of warrior tasks. Events included an Army Combat Fitness Test, day and night land navigation, an obstacle course, multiple marksmanship challenges, a 12-mile ruck march, and an interview before a board of sergeants major.